Estimates vary
widely on exactly how much shoppers will spend online this holiday season, but almost all the projections are leaps and bounds above those of 1997. Shopkeepers and analysts have been busy preparing for what they expect will be the year e-commerce truly goes mainstream, as Net users shed their fears and wield their credit cards.

E-shopping's coming-out partynews analysis
Analysts say e-commerce is ready to blast into the mainstream this holiday season, though there are still some areas where online shopping has room to improve.

Net shopkeepers optimistic
As the holidays approach, Net merchants are already noticing an increase in business from last year's fourth quarter.

Commerce eclipsing content
While portals continue to attract hordes of Netizens searching for free information and services, they have increasingly seen that ad-supported content is not enough to survive on the Web.